Israeli flag-carrier El Al appears to be sticking with Rolls-Royce engines for its latest Boeing 787s, as the manufacturer progresses with work on blade improvements.
El Al already has 16 Trent 1000-equipped 787s, and is due to take delivery of another Trent-powered 787-9 originally intended for another customer.
Rolls-Royce states, in a 7 November trading update, that it has secured an order for Trent 1000 engines from El Al.
It has not elaborated on the number of aircraft or engines involved.
But El Al has agreed to lease two more 787-9s from AerCap and has ordered three more – with options on a further six – from Boeing.
El Al’s combined agreements would take its firmed 787 fleet to 22 by 2031, and potentially expand it to 28 aircraft.
The twinjet type can also be powered by the rival GE Aerospace GEnx engine. British Airways opted to take the GEnx for six additional aircraft, defecting from the Trent 1000, earlier this year.
Rolls-Royce says it “continues to target” US FAA certification of its improved high-pressure turbine blade for the Trent 1000 “in the coming months”.
It states that the supply chain “remains challenged”, adding that it has been concentrating its efforts to improve performance on 15 suppliers.
Chief executive Tufan Erginbilgic says demand over the civil widebody and business aviation sectors “remains strong” and that large-engine flying hour have reached 102% of the pre-crisis level of 2019 for the 10 months to 31 October.
Rolls-Royce expects this figure to reach 100-110% for the full year, and is maintaining previous forecasts for engine deliveries and shop visits.
